How Social Media is Affecting the Cosmetic Surgery Industry

Developments in technology have completely revolutionised the way that most of us work and organise our lives.

17:18 10 October 2017

Social media in particular is having a huge impact on many industries. Instagram influencers are changing the way retailers operate, revolutionising the beauty industry and are even having an impact on the choices people make when it comes to cosmetic surgery. 

 

Medical Tourism

 

In recent years, more people are choosing to have surgery abroad, the quality of breast enlargement Turkey has to offer has meant that it remains a popular choice. Social media has made it easier for people to share their experiences of cosmetic surgery abroad, which allows others to make an informed decision about their choices. Cosmetic surgery is often cheaper abroad, even though the standards of care are high. More and more people are choosing to seek treatment abroad and are using social media to help them make their decision. As a result, this is creating cosmetic surgery hotspots around the world, in countries such as Turkey, Dubai and South Korea.

 

Popularity of Procedures

 

The rise of social media stars, who often flaunt their luxurious lifestyle online, has changed the way that we see new beauty trends. Social media platforms are very visual, particularly in terms of Instagram, and celebrities are openly sharing information about the cosmetic procedures they’ve had. When Kylie Jenner announced that she’d had lip injections, interest in the procedure soared. Other non-surgical procedures have risen in popularity among millennials, who are known as the “social media generation”, including fat-cell freezing and non-surgical nose correction. Social media influencers and reality TV stars are hugely responsible for the shift towards more young people having cosmetic surgery procedures.

 

More Socially Acceptable 

 

Cosmetic surgery used to be a taboo topic. In the past, magazine covers and newspaper headlines were splashed with the scandalous news that another celebrity had undergone cosmetic surgery. Social media has removed the stigma surrounding plastic surgery. Influencers and celebrities are talking openly online about their experiences, and reasons for surgery, which is in turn normalising procedures. For the cosmetic surgery industry, this means an increasing number of patients year in year out. 

 

Improved Standards

 

With social media making it incredibly easy for a business’s reputation to be made or damaged, cosmetic surgery practices are under more pressure than ever to continually maintain high standards. Most people utilise social media to learn about previous patient’s experiences, read reviews of a surgeon and view photos of those who have had procedures similar to those they are seeking. It has become the norm for people who are seeking cosmetic surgery to contact their chosen surgeon through social media, so there is an expectation that practitioners should have a certain level of online presence to ensure their credibility. As well as social media’s influence, there have been several developments in technology which have made cosmetic surgery procedures less invasive and less painful which has also improved standards within the industry significantly.